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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Finally we hit our stride

Would you serve a Suriani dinner to him?

My sister and I host family dinners on alternating Sundays and this past weekend was my turn, which is always both a burden and a thrilling opportunity to show off. I was hesitant about cooking from The Suriani Kitchen because the dishes haven't been universally wonderful, but I went ahead, the stars aligned, everything was outstanding, the kids ate a lot of challenging food, the adults drank just enough wine, and all was well in our little world, despite a loud debate about whether Clint Eastwood's Republican National Convention speech was embarrassing or effective. Those of us who grew impassioned/obnoxious apologized. Again, I am sorry, Dad.

spicy beef pot roast -- Lathika George excavated this recipe from the vintage journal of a remote rubber plantation, which made it almost irresistible to me. The dish consists of chuck roast dosed with a truckload of Indian spices and braised for 4 hours. Here's the thing: I couldn't tell the difference between this Indian pot roast and an American pot roast. If pot roast was a person he would be a fat, merry older man with red cheeks who likes a glass of Port after dinner in front of the hearth. He's always genial company and spices can't change his essential nature, which is pleasant and accommodating. This particular pot roast accommodated 3 tablespoons of mustard seeds, 5 dried red chiles, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, and garlic and he was still just an easy-going old pot roast. That is what I love about pot roast.

lentils with coconut milk -- The ubiquitous Indian legume porridge -- which often goes by the namedal-- is also very forgiving, very relaxed and mild mannered. I've made lots of dals over the years and don't think I've ever had a bad one. This version was very good. My 6-year-old niece drank it like soup and asked for seconds, which made me glow, but I think I've made better, richer dals so I will not go overboard and type the recipe.

snow-white kallappam batter

kallappams -- This is where I want to use copious exclamation points, capital letters, italics, hyperbole. I loved the kallappams I made the other night, they are exactly the kind of dish I wanted to find in The Suriani Kitchen: New (to me) and totally delicious. Kallappams are thickish, spongy, coconutty pancakes, nutritionally empty, easy to prepare, and perfect for sopping up rich, spicy gravy. I've since found several recipes in other Indian cookbooks which look similar, and other recipes on the internet. I can only vouch for this recipe, though I would be open to variations. The recipe reflects my adjustments and opinions.

3 tablespoons sugar (I'd cut it down to 2 unless I was eating this in a dessert or snack context)

1 teaspoon instant yeast.

1. Grind the soaked rice with the water in a blender or food processor for a few minutes until it becomes smooth and milky and the rice is broken into small bits. Add the coconut and cooked rice and grind for 2 minutes more.

2. In a bowl, mix the rice batter with all the other ingredients. Cover with a damp towel and let sit in a reasonably warm place for a couple of hours.

3. Pour 3/4 cup of the batter on a hot, lightly greased skillet (you really don't want much oil on the skillet because the pancake will soak it all up) and cook over medium heat until light gold on each side. Don't try to flip the pancakes too soon; wait until they're pretty cooked. Repeat until all the pancakes are done.

finished kallappams

Double-decker apple pie. There are Suriani desserts I need to try, but it's easy to put off steamed rice paste porridge when hundreds of ripe apples on our tree are yelling at me to make pie or cake. I went with a double-decker pie from Southern Pies by Nancie McDermott: crust filled with apples, topped with crust, topped with apples, topped with crust. It didn't sound promising to me because I'm a filling person, not a crust person, but in fact this pie was terrific.

All day I struggled not to eat the last slice and then, at 8 p.m., I ate it.

Tipsy - dying to try the pancakes but think I'm missing something. In the recipe you refer to adding "coconut and cooked rice", but I don't see the cooked rice referenced in the list of ingredients - just the soaked rice...?

Well, interestingly enough, I am curious about the best dal you have ever made. I love dal, but I haven't ever made it at home. Do you have a best recipe recommendation? Sounds like the family dinner was quite a success, even with impassioned opinions. Have you guys never learned that you really can't talk politics at these things?

Layne: They would be great with sweetened coconut for dessert. With some ice cream? Mmm.Hilary: How long are your lunch breaks? Long enough for pizza?Anon: I have fixed the pancake recipe. People who live in glass houses. Ei: It was not mushy. It was strangely intact, though I would not go so far as flaky. You cook the apples on the stove before using them which I think evaporates out some of the liquid. Beckster: I will post a dal recipe. They're always good and always easy. I'm not sure I have a favorite, but I will look back through my cookbook notes.

Have you any idea what you'll choose for your next cookbook? Charles Phan's 'Vietnamese Home Cooking' was just released, and it's gorgeous. Interesting recipes, some complicated, some not, most of which sound great. Dumpling's o'plenty, with the cookbook divide into sections by type of cooking method. There are so many appealing recipes that I don't know where to start.

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Moro by Sam & Sam Clark. Shelf essential? Yes. An all-time favorite. A brilliant and fascinating book about the cuisines of North Africa and the Mediterranean.

Gourmet Today edited by Ruth Reichl. Shelf Essential? No. Not a bad book, but it can't decide if it's aspiring to be an all-purpose classic or something else entirely. It's neither. Recipes are mostly solid, few outstanding.

Mexico, One Plate at a Time by Rick Bayless. Shelf essential? No, but a very useful and reliable Mexican cookbook.

Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook by Fuchsia Dunlop. Shelf essential? Yes, especially if you're a Chinese food fanatic and want to delve into its regional cuisines. Though some of the recipes are too weird even for me, the beef with cumin was one of the best things I've ever cooked.

The Seventh Daughter by Cecilia Chiang. Shelf essential? Sure, though if there's only room in your collection for one "basic" Chinese cookbook go for Barbara Tropp's Modern Art of Chinese Cooking.